Container having swivel casters



May 12, 1931. D. w. PERIN 1,804,541

CONTAINER HAVING SWIVEL CASTERS Filed OC?. 6, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet l ga-g2 #Zips May 12 A1931 v 'I D. w. PERIN 1,804,541

CONTAINER HAVING SWIVEL CASTERS Filed 0G11- 5, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I y l :2422795 May 12, 1931 D. w. PERIN 1,804,541

CONTAINER HAVING SWIVEL CASTERS Filed Ot. 6, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 @yf-A122, WM @iww May I2, 1931. D. w. PERIN 1,804,541

l CONTAINER HAVING SWIVEL CASTERS I Filed oo tl 6. 1925 4 sheets-sheet 4 Patented May 12, 1931 UNITED STATES Partnr eFH-cr.

`D01\l'AIl'.D W. PERIN, 0F 2BR()OKLIN'E,Y MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO PERM-WALSH COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, fi. CGRPORATEGN F M'ASSACHUSETTS CONTAINER. HAVING SWIVEL' CASTERS Application led October 6, 1925.

This invention relates to a container movable in and out of vehicles such as automobile trucks, freight cars, ships, etc., provided with several swivel casters adapted to be selectively 5 locked against swiveling for movement ot the container in predetermined directions` by pushing or pulling from any one of its sides.

In moving a container into and out of vehicles andaround freight depots and docks restricted and narrow places are often encountered so that it is necessary for the container to be' readily movable in a direction perpendicular to any one ,of its four sides in order to avoid obstructions and be easily stowed. in available space corresponding in dimensions to the dimensions of the container. In order to secure this result the swivel casters mounted on the container must be easily and readily locked in different positions corresponding to the desired movement of the container so that the casters are locked against swiveiing for movement of the container'in any one of four diiierent directions.

When a container is moved into a freight carv the narrow passageway leading into the car requires that the container be moved lengthwise untilit is fully in the carwhen a sidewise movement of the container is necessary to place it in one end of the car and at the same timeymaintain the original position of the container relative tol thecar. This selective movement of the container is permitted by reason oi? the tact that any pair of the casters may be positively locked against 'swiveling movement so that the container is adapted to be used as a trailer for movement in a direc# tion perpendicular to any one oi its four sides whereby it can be steered by pushing or pulling from `any selected side. Thus a container is provided with a Wide range of angular' movement, without changing the position of the container relative to the plane of its movement, permitting it to be `readily moved into any space corresponding to thev dimensions of the container without regard .to the position of the space relative to the position of the container. Y

Objects of this invention are to provide a container having swivel casters adapted to be automatically lockedv i against swiveling for Serial N'o. 60,900.

different angular movement in pre-deter mined directionsV from any one of its sides by the mere actuation or' the locking mechanism into locking position; to providea container iaving swivel casters adapted to be selectively locked against swiveling for movement of the container in any one of four different direc*- tions; and to provide a easter simple in its construction and operation having thev new and improved features hereinafter described.

One practical embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part oi this speciiication, -in which: Fig. l is a top plan view of the caster and locking mechanismthereior embodying one form oi my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the caster and locking mechanism shown in Fig. l with certain parts oi the attaching plate and swiveling frame shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the caster with the caster wheel locked in a position at right angles to the position of the caster wheel shown ink Fig. l;

Fig. t is a side elevational view of the caster and locking mechanism therefor shown in Fig. 3 5' o Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a container with my improved casters applied thereto;

Fig. 7 is a top plan View of the caster similarlar to the view shown in Fig. l but showing a modified form oi' klocking mechanism; l

, Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the Cas* .ter andlocking mechanism shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 11 diagrammatically illustrates a conface of the bell crank lever 19, the intertainer having casters locked against swivelmediate portion of said cam having a shaft ing at a side at right angles to the side having 27 ouinaled in a housing 28 attached to the locked casters in Fig. 1()` and shows how the plate 3. An arm 29 projects downwardly containermay be steered by pulley; and from the intermediate portion of the cam 15 Fig. 12 is a view similar to the view shown to which is attached a link 30 connected to a in Fig. 11 showing the container steered by rod 31 which is connected with the lower end pulling. of an operating handle 32, said operating As illustrated, the numeral 1 designates the handle extending through the .bottom at one bottom of a container having casters 2 atside of the container to be conveniently positached thereto tofacilitate the movement of tioned for manipulation. While 'the above Said Container from place t0 place, YEach description applies to a single caster element Caster 2 comprises an attaching plate 3 fasand locking mechanism therefor it will be tened in some suitable manner to the bottom UHClefSOOCl that the COltaner iS adapted t0 of the container 1 and adapted to receive the have three Or more (preferably four) such frame 4 in swveljngrelation thereto, Suitcasters, all of which are separately locked able ahthfrieeiohel bearings 5 being providagainst swiveliiig so that any desired combied between the attaching plate and frame. 11%!111011 0f lCled Casters may be secured. Depending fork members 6 project from the The epellen of the device is as follows: plete 4 and have e roller or Wheel 7 jouyhal'ed Assuming that the operating handle 32 has between their lower ends. A pair of aligned been mOVeCl t0 the POStiOn shown in Fig. 2 lockingiregesses 8 diainetpcally located at Op- 13118 IOd. 31 -IIIOVGS I'Gtfwtldly Vfllll the link posite Sides of Jehe frame 1 are adapted to. he 30 causing the cam surface 15 to move upalternately engaged by locking lugs 9 and 10 wardly whereby the heel of said cam surface depending on the desired direction of travel rifles ml@ lie deepest POlllOn 0f the allglllal' of the container. `Extending from one side Surface O' the lever 14 Causing said lever to of the attaching plete 3 md mediauy thereof move` inwardly by reason ofthe tension 0f are a, 0f ears 11 forming bearings in th@ SP'IlHg 2.6, YlVlleIQby the Shaft t0 Wl11Cl1 the which a Shaft 12 is join-holed, the looking lever is splined is rotated in a clockwise dilug 9 being splined to said shaft 12 at a point l'eetOIl I HOVlIlg the 111g 9 into locking posibetween Jehe ears 11, The Shaft 1Q extends tion. Simultaneous with the above described alongside the plate 3 projecting beyond one 301171011 Of t'he Cain'l the heel Of the Calm Slllsidethereof, being journaled in a housing 13 file@ l5 l'lCleS ClOWllWelClly against the S111`- attached to Said plate, The end of the Shaft face of the arm 24 of the bell crank 19 causing 12 projecting from the housing 13 is keyed said bell crank lever to pivot aboutits axis, to a lever 14 having an angular inner surface Wlleelly the fofked end 2O moves upwardly @Q Opgfgtng 011e Can/113510@ of the @am 111111115352 the lIlOlD and tllUS the lOCklIlg lmember 16 in a manner hereinafter described. Ve'lQ 0HJC OflOCkDg pOStOn. If neither of A housing 17 also projects from a Side of the the aligned recesses are in a position to be square plate 3 receiving a shaft 18 journals/d nglgefl'by the locllllg lug 9 Seid lug Wil1 therein, the projecting portion of said shaft Je ylelflllgly held against the peripheral having a bell crank lever 19 splined thereto. Slll'fac@ 0f the .flame 4,' by TetlSOn 0f the ten- One projecting arm of the bell crank lever S1011 0f tlle'SPl'lllg 26, Nadi t0 assume e 100ki 19 terminates in a forked portion 20 adapted lng POSltlOll Wllel either Of Seid IeCeSSeS come to engage the knob-like portion 21 of the lockluto e POSltlOll t0 l2@ engaged thereby ing1ever 10 Shown in Figs 4 M151 The1oek- Uien the operating handle is moved to the ing lever 10 has a shaft or pin 22 extending POSlllOll' SllQWll lll F'lg 4 lille heel 0f the @am through, its intermediate .portion3 opposite surface 15 rides against the lower end of the ends of said shaft being j ournaled in ears 23 lever ltl lllovlllg Salfl lever ll outwardly and projecting from the intermediate portion of the, locllllg lllg 9 Ollt 0f locllllg POSltlOll a Side of the plate 3 at right mghes to the while the heel of the cam surface 15 moves Side' of the pim@ reeeiviiig, the ems 11- 1 1e upwardly permitting the bell crank lever 19 will be'obvious that actuation ofthe bell crank 130 move ClOWHWICllY Whe/Telly the lOCklng leievei- 19 ,will correspondingly nehmt@ the ver 1() is moved into locking position. When locking lever 10 attached thereto.V The bell @lle @Pelltlllg lll-lllle l5 lll a'VertlCal POSltlOll Crank lever 19 also hasY i proiectingarm 24 intermediate the eXtreme positions shown in terminating at a point in alignment with vthe Flags-,Q and 4 the Cem member 16 Will be in lower end of Jhe lever 14E pins 25 being proa position whereby' the cam surfaces 15 and vided on the arm 24 and level- 14 adjaeeht 15 engage the levers 14 and 19 so that both their ends to receive the ends of a coiledl spring locking lugs 9 and 10 are out of locking po- 26 tensioned between said levers 19 and 14, sition and the caster is in a freely swiveliiig The cam projection 15 of the camv 16 is adaptposition. Thus a caster construction is proed to ride along the inner angular surface of vided whereby said caster is automatically the lever 14 while the cam projection 15 is and selectively locked against swiveling for adapted to ride along the inner` angular surmovement in any one of four directions by the mere actuation of the operating handle 32 so that an'yvmanual-actuation of the caster in ,order to changeits directional movementis rendered unnecessary.

As illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 showing a modified form of locking mechanism but constituting the preferred form of my invention,

the attachingpl'ate 3 fastened in some suitable manner to the bottom of the' container l is adapted to receive the frame 4 in swiveling relation thereto, suitable anti-frictional bearings not shown being provided between theattaching plate and frame as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. A pair of aligned locking recesses 8 diametrically located at opposite sides of the frame 4 are adapted'to be alternately engaged by locking lugs 33 and 34, controlling the direction of travel of the` container. Extending from two adjacent sides of the attaching plate 3 are ears or lugs 35 and 36, respectively, similar to the ears lll and 23 shown in Fig. 3 and adapted to form bearings for the pins 37 and 38 ofthe locking lugs 35 and 36 respectively. Each pin 37 and 38 has a double torsion spring 39 and 40 normally actuating the locking lugs into locking position. Brackets 4l and 42 project from the attaching plate 3 to receive the cam 43 and lever 44 respective pivoted thereto. The lever 44 fulcrumed intermediate its ends on the bracket 42 has projecting arms 45 and 46, the arm 45 being adapted to ride along` the surface of the cam member 43 while the arm 46 engages the upper end of the locking lug 34. The cam member 43 is fulcrumed on the bracket 4l and has a handle 47 extending from the point of fulcrum permitting its manual actuation. One surface of the cam member 43 corresponding to the surface engaged by lever 44 rides along the upper end of the locking` lug 33. 'The surface of the cam engaged by the lever and the locking lug 34 in the position shown in Fig. 7 is of maximum curvative, the curvature decreasing from these points toward each end of the cam member. Intermediate the peripheral` surface of the cam member 43 there is formed a V-shapedrecess 48 adapted to receive a correspondinglyshaped end-of a spring 49, the other end of said spring beingrigidly attached tothe plate 3. rlhe purpose ofthe spring 49 is to urge the cam toward the position shown in Fig. 7. Y

' The operation of the device shown in Figs.

f. 7 to 8 is as follows: As shown in Fig. 7 the cam member 43 at its points of maximum curvature engage the locking lug 33 and lever 44 so that both the locking lugs 33 and 34 are out A of locking position and the caster is free to swivel, If by actuation of the operatinghan-` dle 47 the cam member 431s moved in a clockwise direction the end 45 of the lever 44 rides along a portion of the cam surface 43 of lesser curvature permitting the end 46 of the lever 44 to move away from the upper end still engaging the cam member 43 at a point of maximum curvature said locking lug 33, rel,- mains out of locking position while the locking lug 34'is in locking position to cause the caster to be locked inposition to move the container in either of two opposite directions. By moving the cam member 43 in a counterclockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 7, the arm 46 rides along the surface of the cam member of maximum curvature While retaining the locking lug 34 in unlocked position while a surface of the cam member 43 of lesser curvature comes opposite the locking lug 33 permitting said locking lug to be actuated into locking` position and thus locking thecaster against swiveling for movement of the container in either of two opposite divrections and at right angles to theiirst movement above described.

A typical Amode of handling freightconstituting part of the present invention is illus-V cent side B, 50 and 52 adjacent side G and 50 L and 51 adjacent side D. In order to pull the container to the side as a trailer the casters opposite the'side on whichthe container is pulled arelocked. Thus in Fig; ll where the container is beingV pulled from the side C,

the casters 5l and` 53 are locked while the casters 50 and 52 are unlocked. In Fig. 12 where the container is being pulled from the side A the casters 50 and 52 are locked while the casters 5l and 53 are unlocked. Vhe-n pushing L.

the container, as illustrated in Fig. l0 for eX- ample, the casters opposite the side from which the container V 1s being pushed are locked. Thus in Fig. 10 the casters 50 andrl` are locked and the casters 52 andi53 are uni i locked. After a container has been pushed into a box car inthe positionshown at the middle of Fig. 9A it is ordinarily pushed sidewise to one end of the car, for example in the position shownr in the left hand end of the car of Fig. 9. To accomplish this all of the casters are unlockedso that when the movement of the container is changed from longitudinal to transverse movement casters may swivel into parallelism with the ends B and D of the container.

After the ends have swiveled in such position they may be locked to cause the container to follow a straight path to the end of the car arranged in the position shown in Fig.

12 or left unlocked until the container reaches the end of the car or other final position. All of the casters are then locked so that they can not swivel when the container is moved in the reverse direction in the unloading operation. This prevents the casters iromswivel-r ing when the container is moved in the reverse direction and thereby prevents the conlock these two casters in position parallel' with the sides of the container so that it will steer as a trailer when passing out through the door and during any subsequent movement. Obviously the container may be moved into and out of other restricted places ina similar' manner.

In the case ofthe container at the right hand end of Fig. 9 each caster is locked in a different one of the four possible positions so that the container can not roll in any direction. V

It will be understood that the f structure above described illustrates practical embodiments of the invention whereby the caster is automatically and selectively locked against swiveling for movement of the container in any one of four different directions. It is not intended to limit the device to the structural details shown and described, but my structuremay be altered to embrace any mechanical arrangement constituting an equivalent structure to that above described. For instance, it comes within the purview oi' my-invention to provide the swiveling frame of the caster with two locking recesses-arranged at right angles in dilierent planes whereby a single pivoted lever, having locking lugs at each end can be selectively actuated into locking position, or a single locking lug movable into locking position to selectively engage one of said angular locking recesses may be employed.

I claim:

l'. In a container having a plurality of swivel casters, independently operable locking means for each caster, said locking means comprising a locking lug, a spring tending at all times to force said lug into locking engagement with said caster, and an actuator having a sliding engagement with saidlug and acting in one position to hold said lug against the tension ot' the spring, out of locking engagement with said caster, the actuator coacting directly with the lug independently of the spring.

2. In a container having a plurality of swivel casters, independently operable locling means for each caster, said locking means comprising a locking lug, a spring tending at all times to force said lug into locking engagement with said caster, and an actuator mounted independently of said lug but having a sliding engagement therewith and acting 'in one position to hold said lug, against the tension of the spring, out of locking engagement with said caster, the actuator coacting directly with the lug independently of the spring. Y

3. In a container having a plurality of swivel casters, independently operable locking means for each caster, said locking means comprising a locking lug having a locking position and an unlocking position, a spring attached to said lug and tending at all times to hold said lug into one of said positions and a pivotally mounted actuator having a sliding engagement with said lug and operable to act to hold said lug in the other of said positions against the urge of said spring, the actuator'coacting directly with the lug independently of the spring.

et. In a container having a plurality of swivel casters each including an element having a plurality of notches therein, independently operable means for each caster, said locking means comprising Aa lug capable of engaging any oi' the notches in the element and thereby locking the caster against swiveling, a spring normally tending to advance the lug in locking engagement with the element and a movable actuator having a sliding engagement with the lug and independent of the spring, said actuator in one position holding said lug against the urge of the spring out of locking engagement and in another position permitting the spring to advance the lug into engagement with a notch when the caster is swiveled into a predetermined position.

5. In a container having a plurality of swivel casters each including an element having a plurality of notches therein, a pair of movable lugs capable of engaging any of the notches in the element and thereby locking the caster against swiveling, means normally tending to advance said lugs into locking engagement with the element and movable actuating means having engagement with each lug, which meansv in one position prevents such advance of either of said lugs, and in another permits the advance of one lug while preventing the advance of the other lug.

G. In a container having a plurality of swivel casters each including an element having a plurality of notches therein, a pair of movable lugs capable of engaging any of the notches in the element and thereby locking the caster against swiveling, spring means coacting with each lug and normally tending to advance said lugs into locking engagement with the element and movable actuating means having engagement with each lug,

which means in one position prevents such advance of either lug and in another position permits the advance of one lug While preventing the advance of the other lug.

In a container having a plurality of swivel casters each including an element having a plurality of notches therein, a pair of ivotally mounted lugs, one end of each lug eing capable of engaging any of the notches in the element and thereby locking the caster against swiveling, spring means coacting y with each lug for advancing such end thereof into locking engagement With the element and movable actuating means having engagement. With the other end of each lug which means in one position prevents the advance of the locking end of either lug and in another position permits the advance of the locking end of one lug While preventing the advancing of the locking end of the other lug. Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 28th day of September, 1925.

c DONALD W. PERIN. 

